Marking machine having adjustable parallel compressible feed rolls and a conduit extending upwardly from said rolls



plll 25 w50 H. LEWIS MARKING MACHINE HAVING ADJUSTABLE PARALLEL COMPRESSIBLE FEED ROLLS AND A coNDUIT EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID ROLLS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 5, 1945 AWM 25, 11950 H. L Ewls 2,505,499 MARKING MACHINE HAVING ADJUSTABLE PARALLEL COMPRESSIBLE FEED ROLLS AND A CONDUIT EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID ROLLS Filed oct. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6fm V ,l

Patente Apr.. 25, 1950 MARKING MACHINE HAVING ADJUSTABLE PARALLEL COMPRESSIBLE FEED ROLLS AND A CONDUIT EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID ROLLS Harold L. Lewis, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to J. D. Adams Manufacturing Company, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application October 5, 1943, Serial No. 504,999

4 Claims. l

It has heretofore been proposed to increase the night-time visibility of painted stripes on roads, air-field runways, and other surfaces by embedding in the painted stripe glass beads or other light-reflective particles. My invention relates to a machine for applying such beads or other particles to the paint-stripe, and has for its primary object the production of a machine which will provide an even distribution of beads or other particles irrespective of the speed at which the machine moves along the paint-stripe. Another object of my invention is to produce a machine that will be durable and resistant to wear of a type which would eiect variations in the rate of bead-discharge. A further object of my invention is to produce a machine which will not be adversely aiected by the passage of irregular or over-sized particles through it. Still another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the machine may be adapted to deposit beads or other particles on paint-stripes of any width.

In carrying out my invention in the form herein illustrated, I mount the bead-dispensing means on the same vehicle which carries the stripe-painting mechanism, arranging it in rear of the paint-applicator so that the beads discharged by it will fall on the paint stripe. The dispenser comprises a housing within which are located two rotatable rolls arranged on parallel axes in a horizontal plane. These rolls are faced with rubber or other compressible material and are held in contact with each other. One of the two rolls is power-driven, and rotates the other by reason of its engagement therewith, in a direction such that the contacting portions of the roll faces move in a generally downward direction; and the beads or other light-reiiective material which the device is to dispense are supplied to the rolls from above so that they will pass downward therebetween as the rolls rotate. To control the width of the stream of beads discharged from the dispenser, I may mount in the housing a removable member having a slot of appropriate width through which the beads are fed to the rolls. Since beads will be dispensed only when the vehicle is in motion, the dispenser may be driven from one of the vehicle wheels. Desirably, joint control means are provided for the dispenser and the paint-applying mechanism. To control the density of bead-distribution, the dispenser may be driven through a variable speed drive.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Fig. 1. is a side elevation o f a vehicle carrying both paint-applying means to form the desired stripe and a bead-dispenser to deposit beads on that stripe, parts of the structure being broken away; Fig. 2 is a fragmental vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bead-dispenser with portions thereof broken away and shown in section; Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the bead dispenser with portions of the dispenser-housing broken away; and Fig. 5 is a plan View of the clutch and clutch-operating mechanism by means of which the dispenser is controlled.

The vehicle illustrated in the drawings comprises a frame I0 carried on front and rear ground-supported wheels II and I2. From the frame I0 both the paint-applying and the beaddispensing mechanism are supported. The paintapplying mechanism may take any desired form. That shown in the drawing is one more fully described in my co-pending application Serial No. 466,578, filed November 23, 1942, now Patent No. 2,401,431, dated June 4, 1946, and includes a jet-forming nozzle I3 supplied with paint under pressure through a hose I4 from a drum I5 and with air through a hose I6 from a blower (not shown).

The bead-dispenser, which is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral I8, is supported on the frame I0 in rear of the nozzle I3. Conveniently, the dispenser comprises a housing 20 provided with removable end walls 2|. The housing has a bead-receiving opening 22 in its upper side and a downwardly directed bead-discharging opening 23 in its lower side. The bead-receiving opening 22 is connected, as through a hose 24, with a hopper 25 which is mounted on the vehicle frame and which carries a supply of beads.

To support the dispenser I8 in the device shown in the drawings, I may employ brackets 30 and 3| which are attached respectively to the side members of the frame ID, as will be clear from Fig. 2. The lower ends of these brackets support a pair of parallel, horizontal rods 32 which are received in openings in ears 33 projecting laterally from the end walls 2l of the dispenser housing.

Within the dispenser housing 20 are two rolls 35 and 36 arranged on parallel axes in a common horizontal plane. The roll 35, which is power-driven, is rigid with a shaft 31 which .is journaled in bearings 38 in the end walls 2| of the dispenser housing. The other roll 36 is rotatably mounted on a stationary shaft 39. For a purpose which will hereinafter be made apparent, the shaft 39 has co-axial eccentric end portions 40 rotatably received in alined openings in the end walls 2|, so that by rotating the shaft 39 about the common axis of its eccentric end portions 40 the distance between the two rolls 35 and 36 can be varied. A set-screw 4|, mounted in one of the end plates 2| in position to bear against the associated shaft-end 48, holds the shaft 39 in any desired position of angular adjustment. Thev rolls 35 and 36 are formed of, or at least faced with, some suitable compressible material, such as soft rubber.

To control the width of the stream of beads discharged from the dispenser |8, I employ a guide member 45 which is supported within the housing 28 above the rolls 35 and 36. The upper end of the member 45 fills the opening 22, and the member is provided with an elongated slot 41 which extends downwardly through it. The lower end of the member 45 isl shaped to conformto'the surfaces of the rolls 35 and 3B; but in order to prevent wear of the rolls, the member 45 is desirably supported with its lower end spaced from the rolls by a distance slight enough to prevent escape of the beads from the slot 41 otherwise than downwardly between the rolls. Accordingly, the length of the slot 41 willV determine the width of the stream of beads discharged from the discharge opening of the dispenser-housing.

For the purpose of driving the shaft 31 and the roll'35 rigid therewith, the shaft 31 projects outwardly through the outer end wall of the dispenser housing, where there is keyed to it a V-belt pulley comprising, in the preferred structure, two members' 58 and 5|'. The belt pulley Ell-5| is operatively connected by a V-belt 52 with a second pulley which, in the preferred structure, consists'of two members 53 and 54 and which is rotatable with a shaft 56` supported in fixed axialposition in a bearing 51 on the bracket 30.

As previously indicated, the dispenserY |'8 is conveniently driven from one of the wheels by which the vehicle is'supported. As willebe clear from the drawings," especially Fig. 2, the rear wheels 2 of the vehicle are mounted on a live axle 68, and attached to'such axle is a driving sprocket 51 operatively connectedA by a chain 58 with a driven sprocket 59 rigid with a shaft 64 which is rotatably supported in xed axial position in a suitable bearing 65' forming part of the bracket 38,. The two bearings 51 and 65 are so arranged Vthat the shafts 58 and 55, which they respectively support, are in falinement with eachother with Vdisengagement from the other clutch member 61.

De'sirably, the driving mechanism for the dispensing device |8,-whatever form it takes, includes means by which the speed of Aoperation of the dispensing :device cazr'be 4var cd'relative to the speed -the vehicle in order -to `control as desiredth :density` 'of beaddistribution on the paintstrifpe .formed by the nozzle I3. In the device Vshown inV the drawings, variation in the speed of the dispenser I8 it attained by varying in opposite senses the effective diameters of the two pulleys 58-v-5I and 53-54 which co-operate with the belt 52.11 As will be clear from Fig. 5, the member 531,01 vhe driving pulley is rigid with the shaft 56, w fleth'e other pulley-member 54 is screwafter which' the bead-dispenser threadedly mounted on the end of the shaft 56 so that its axial position relative to the member 53 may be varied. A lock unit nut 18, also mounted on the screw-threaded end oi the shaft 55, serves to' hold'the adjustable pulley-member 54 in any desired position of adjustment. In the driven pulley 5E-5|, the member 55 is rigid with the shaft 31 and the member 5|, while keyed to such shaft to rotate therewith, is axially movable thereon. A compression spring 1|, acting between the pulley-member 5| and a fixed abutment 12 on the shaft 31., forces the pulley-member 5| toward the member 58.

To increase the density of bead-distribution on the paintwstripe, the speed of the dispenser i3 relative of the speed of the vehicle will be in creased. To effect this result, the nut 'le is loosened, and the pulley-member is rotated on the screw-threaded end of the shaft 56 to bring it closer to the member 53 and thus increase the effective size of the driving'pulley; When the desired position of adjustment of themem'berE'- is obtained', the lock-nut 18 is again tightened. Because the belt 52 has a fixed'length, the increase in diameter of the pulley 53-54 will necessitate a decrease in the effective diameter of the driven pulley 58-5i, and this decrease is effected by movement of the member 5| outwardly against the force exerted upon it by the spring 1 i.

As previously indicated, I nd it desirable to control the paint-applying mechanism and the bead-dispenser jointly. In the paint-applying mechanism shown in the drawings and more fully described in my co-pending application above referred to, the flow of paintV through the hose i!! tothe nozzle i3 is controlled by a valve operated by pressure-responsive mechanism including a pressure cylinder '15. Compressed air supplied to the cylinder l5V through a conduit 15 under control of a manually operated pilot valve 11 serves to open the paint-supply lvalve.

To provide joint control of theV paint-applicator |3 and the bead dispenser |73, control of the latter is effected by air under pressure supplied through a branch 18 of the conduit 1E. To this end, the movable clutch member 5S is associated with a shifter-fork 8G mounted on a piston rod S i. The piston rod 8| extends into a fluid-pressure cylinder 82 where it is provided with a piston 83. A spring 84, conveniently arranged within the cylinder 82, biases the rod 8| for movement in a direction which will effect disengagement of the clutch member 68 from the clutch member 51,' and the piston 83 is movable in the opposite di'- rection by compressed air supplied to thecylinder 82 through the branch-conduit 18.

When, with the vehicle in motion, it is desired to begin the application of the paint-stripe, the pilot valve 11 isopened, thus'supplying air under pressure to the cylinders 15 and 82. rlhe air suppliedlto the cylinder 'I5 opens the paintcontrol valve andV causes paint to be discharged downwardly from the applicator I3. AAir supplied to the cylinder 82, forces the piston 83 and piston rod 8| outwardly to cause engagement of the clutch member 83 with the clutch member 51, I8 will begin to operate to discharge a stream of beads. Because the bead-dispenser is located some distance in rear of the paint-applicator I3, beads would fall on an unpainted surface if the bead dispenser and paint applicator were thrown into operation simultaneously. To avoid this, I may delay the action of the pressure-responsive mechanism which operates the clutch-member 68, as by placing in the conduit 18 a valve 85. By proper adjustment of` this valve, engagement of thejciutch member fwith the clutch member 61, andconsequent operation ofthe bead-dispenser I1E!, may be delayedlfor an interval after the paint-applicator I3 has been thrown into operation; andthe extent of this interval can be varied in co-ordination with the speed of the vehicle so thatoperation of the beadedispenser I3` will begin as,` it reaches the beginningof the paint-stripe formed by the applicator I3; If it is desired toobtaini a paint-stripe without beads, the valve B5 may be closed` entirely;

In the machine shown, the cylinders 1,5 and 5,2 exhaust through a port TI" in the valve I'I'when the latter is moved to throw the painting means and dispenser out of operation. Air thus exhausted from the cylinder 82 has to pass the valve 85 which therefore operates to delay the cessation of dispenser-operation as well as to delay the institution of dispenser operation in the manner above set forth. Thus, if the vehicle continues to move after the paint nozzle I3 has been shut off the dispersing of beads will continue for an interval as the vehicle moves toward or to the end of the painted stripe.

In operating the machine, the vehicle is put in motion in line with the stripe which is to be formed; and at the point where the stripe is to start, the valve 'Il is opened, throwing into operation rst the paint-applicator I3 and subsequently the bead-dispenser I8 in the manner above described. As the vehicle progresses over the surface to be painted, paint from the applicator I3 forms a stripe upon which beads from the dispenser I8 fall to become embedded in the still wet paint. The width of the stream of beads discharged from the dispenser will be substantially equal to the length of the slot 41 in the member 45; and by using a member with a slot of appropriate length, the width of the beadstream may be made equal to that of the stripe formed by the applicator I3.

The beads supplied to the rolls 35 and 36 through the slot -i'i in the member 45 become embedded in the compressible surface portions of the rolls as they pass therebetween, and the rolls operate to discharge a substantially uniform quantity of beads at each revolution. Minor variations in the quantity of beads discharged at each revolution of the rolls 35 and 36 can be effected by varying the distance between the axes of the rolls, as by rotating the shaft 39 about the common axis of its eccentric end portions 4U; but the extent of variation in the rate of bead discharge obtainable in this manner is relatively limited. Accordingly, the rotatability of the shaft 39 about its eccentric end portions is employed primarily for the purpose of relieving pressure between the rolls when the device is not in operation; and variation in the density of bead distribution on the paint-stripe will usually be obtained through appropriate adjustment of the drive-pulley 53--54. For any setting of the pulley 53-54, there will be a definite ratio between the speed of the axle El? and the speed of the rolls 35 and 36; and, since the rolls 35 and 36 operate to discharge a constant quantity of beads at each revolution, the density of bead-distribution on the paint-stripe will remain substantially constant irrespective of any variation in the speed of the T vehicle.

Throughout the above description I have referred to my device as a bead-dispenser, but it is to be understood that it can be employed to distribute light-reective particles, whether transd parent or opaque, ofA shapes other than spheroidal. As long as the particles supplied to the device are of'approximately uniform size, the rolls will operate todischarge a substantially constant quantity of them at' each revolution; and even if the particles vary in size, the larger particles will not be retained in the device where they might interfere with uniformity of delivery but will be discharged with the smaller particles by passing downwardly between the rolls without injuring the compressible surface portions thereof. To obtain beneficial results with my invention, it is not essential that both of the rolls 35 and 36 have compressible surface portions. It` is not necessary that one roll be driven solely as the result of its contact with the other or that the dispenser be mounted on the same vehicle with the stripe-painting apparatus.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for distributing light-reflective particles upon a painted surface, a hollow casing having particle-receiving and particle-discharge openings, in its upper and lower walls respectively, a pair of feed rolls rotatably mounted within said casing on parallel axes located in a common,

substantially horizontal plane, said rolls having interengaging surfaces, a member disposed above said rolls and having a vertical slot extending through it and terminating between .said rolls, said slot having a predetermined length in a direction parallel to the roll-axes and constituting the sole path over which particles entering said casing can reach said rolls, said member being removable from said casing, and means for rotating said rolls in such a direction that their inter engaging surface portions move downwardly, whereby light-reflective particles supplied to the rolls through said slot will be fed downwardly between the rolls and discharged through said discharge opening.

2. In a device for distributing light-reflective particles upon a painted surface, a pair of feed rolls, supports rotatably supporting said feed rolls on parallel axes in a substantially horizontal plane, said rolls having interengaging surfaces of compressible material, means for varying the distance between said supports whereby to vary the distance between the roll-axes and the area of the interengaging portions of the roll-surfaces, means for rotating said rolls in such a. direction that their interengaging surface portions move downwardly, and means for feeding light-reflective patricles to said rolls, said means comprising a conduit extending upwardly from the interengaging portions of the rolls and having a lower end lying close to and effectively closed by said rolls.

3. In a device for distributing light-reflective particles upon a painted surface, a pair of feed rolls, supports rotatably supporting said feed rolls on parallel axes in a substantially horizontal plane, said rolls having interengaging surfaces at least one of which is of compressible material, means for varying the distance between said supports whereby to vary the distance between the' roll-axes and the area of the interengaging portions of the roll-surfaces, means for rotating said rolls in a direction such that their interengaging surface portions move downwardly, and means for feeding light-reflective particles to .said rolls, said means comprising a conduit extending upwardly from the interengaging portions of the rolls and having a lower end lying close to and effectively closed by said rolls.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3l with the addition that said roll-rotating means is directly Number y Name r Date connected t0 but one of said rolls, the other roll 250,976 Riedel Dec. 13, 1881 being driven by reason of the interengagement of 1,016,685 Frederick Feb. 6, 1912 thevrolls. Y 1,300,419 Landnes Apr. 15, 1919 f VHAROLD L. LEWIS. 5 1,560,313 Pittman Nov. 3, 1925 i 1,654,816 Judelson Jan. 3, 1928 Y REFERENCES CITED 1,660,047 Pittman Feb. 21, 1928 The following references are of record in the 1,355,214 A117011 Apl- 26, 1932 fue' of this patent: 1,912,1'2 Bailey t May 30, 1933 2,220,3 6 Creswell e al Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTS lo 2,221,908 Bossi Nov. 19, 1940 Numbl Name Date 2,278,948 Rodli et al. Apr. 7, 1942 21,102 VWilloughby Aug- 3, 1858 2,294,267 Barnett Aug. 25, 1942 57,485 Dickey Aug. 28, 1866 2,301,848 seaman Nov. 1o, 1942 175,056 Duncan Mar. 21, 1876 15 2,362,410 Scherer Nov. 7, 1944 216,617 Jacquett June 17, 1879 

